Hi All,
My 1 year old DD is still waking once/night. She used to eat and go right back to sleep (BF). However, now it's a battle to get her back down after feeding. She is super sleepy, and dozes off in my arms toward the end of her feeding, but as soon as I move to put her down into crib, she's up and screaming crying. It's literally a battle. I feel terrible about it because it's so disruptive and upsetting in the middle of the night. It usually takes between 30-60 minutes to get her back down, and a number of attempts at getting her back in the crib. I've tried:
1) letting her fall asleep after eating in my arms, waiting 5-10 mins until she's really asleep, and then putting her down
2) putting her down RIGHT after eating while she's still settling/drowsy
3) picking her up from the crib when she screams (she cries hysterically, stands up in the crib, and wails), waiting till she calms, and putting back down
4) not picking her up from the crib, rather when she stands and reaches I'll hug her and rub her back but never pick her up until she eventually collapses and falls asleep- this method in theory sounds best to me, as she is technically putting herself back to sleep, but it can go on FOREVER, and sometimes results in her collapsing down from standing and bumping her head on the crib and crying in pain and frustration- and then I feel compelled to pick her up.
I guess I'm asking- what is the best approach? What should I try? If anyone has had good luck with any tactics, please let me know! I'm desperate for some sleep, since now when she gets up at night, I'm up for at least an hour, and at that point am awake from hearing her cry so much, and can't go back to sleep myself.
FYI- I know we're starting the 2-1 transition- she is still taking 2 naps/day. I cap her first nap at 1 hr and let her sleep for her second nap. For naps, she goes down TOTALLY WIDE AWAKE, sits up, watches me walk out the door, and puts herself right to sleep, no problem. Why is this so different than her nights?!
Help, please?!